Update: Pottstown Wrestling Close To State Tournament

The Lower Moreland Lions proved they were the best of District 1 AA wrestling Saturday night, defeating Pottstown High 34-31 to win the district championship and earn the only bid to the state tournament.

"It feels unbelievable," said Lower Moreland head coach Dan Park. "We knew they were very tough and that it all was going to come down to matchups and bonus points-- people not getting pinned and staying off our backs."

Lower Moreland had the advantage early, winning the first three matches to take a 12-0 lead, including a pin by 120-pounder Kyle Baker. However, Pottstown would respond by winning the next four matches, including two forfeits at 138 and 160 pounds and a pin by 152-pounder Sebastian Shiffler, to take a 21-12 lead.

The match would swing back in the Lions' favor over the next two bouts, as 170-pounder Hank Campbell would pick up a 14-1 major decision and 182-pounder Rashan Chanyothi a pin to regain the lead at 22-21.

Pottstown would sandwich decisions by 195-pounder Rashard Lighty and Josh Slody at heavyweight around a Lower Moreland pin at 220 to leave the score tied at 28.

With two bouts remaining, and one a Pottstown forfeit at 113, the Trojans needed a pin at 106 to even the score and send the match into criteria.  However, things never got that far, as Lower Moreland's Jimmy McGuigan battled in a 6-3 loss to tough opponent Robbie McCoy, setting off a celebration on Lower Moreland's bench and leading to a 34-31 victory for the Lions.

"My heavyweight Andrew Perocini and McGuigan were huge," said Park. "Those were two kids who lost but they knew coming into today that if they stayed off their backs we were going to win this match, and that was absolutely critical."

Park was quick to congratulate Pottstown.

"A lot of people were underestimating them because of their early season record, but I knew exactly what they had, and we managed to come out on top," said Park.


106: Robbie McCoy (PT) wbd. 6-3 over Jimmy McGuigan (LM)
113: Seung-Gyu Rim (LM) win by fft.
120: Kyle Baker (LM) pinned Jihad Ali (PT)
126: Jon Aurit (LM) wbd. 6-5 over Christian Gonzalez (PT)
132: Timmy Yu (LM) wbd. 8-1 over Patrick Bohn (PT)
138: Trenton Clifford (PT) win by fft.
145: Brown (PT) wbd. 3-4 over Mike McKenna (LM)
152: Senastian Shiffler (PT) pinned Max Pylayev (LM)
160: Darren Hain (PT) win by fft. 
170: Hank Campbell (LM) wbmd. 14-1 over Jordan Eckstrom (PT)
182: Rashan Chanyothi (LM) pinned Doug Cassell (PT)
195: Rashad Lighty (PT) wbmd. 8-0 over Nick Brunswick (LM)
220: Zoozisis (LM) pinned Humma (PT)
HWT: Josh Slody (PT) wbd. 7-2 over Andrew Perocini (LM)

Earlier:

The Pottstown wrestling team is a match away from qualifying for the state tournament, after a 46-27 win over Springfield High School moved them into the District 1 AA championship Saturday afternoon.

In the gym of Upper Dublin High School, 113-pounder Robbie McCoy and 120-pounder Jihad Ali started off strong for the Trojans with pins in the first two matches. That got things rolling for Pottstown, who found themselves up 34-9 after a pin by Sebastian Shiffler at 152 pounds. 

It would prove to be one of seven pins for the winning team. Only two matches went to decision: a 14-1 major decision by Pottstown 132-pounder Patrick Bohn and a 2-0 win for Rob Galdo of Springfield.

Pottstown will now face tough opponent Lower Moreland for the championship at 4 p.m. Lower Moreland defeated New Hope Solebury High School in the other semifinal by a 48-21 score.

Check back for more.